Alone
by Ayoungnovelist
Summary: Aria flees Rosewood when she finds out she is pregnant in fear of the reactions of her family, her best friends, and most importantly Ezra. In an escape to leave her life behind and create a new one for the life inside her, she moves to California in hopes of forgetting Rosewood. But four years later, life is catching up with Aria, and once again she finds that she cannot win.
1. Chapter 1

**Whoa, haven't been here in a long time! Is it good to be back, lets find out? This has been sitting in my laptop for probably about a year and due to the lack of Ezria stories right now, I thought I'd upload. It's not following the plot at all and please answer a question, why do I write about teenage girls getting pregnant?**

Aria swore to herself. She was once again late to pick up Daisy from nursery. Rushing to get to the three year old, she tripped over on the sidewalk but was saved by a pair of arms. A very nice and _big_ pair of arms. Aria let out a breath and started to apologise and thank him profusely but was cut off.

"Aria?" The man asked and as Aria looked up, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped. "Yeah, it's you right. You remember me?"

The twenty two year old nodded, shocked. "Toby." She said, breathing heavily. She looked him up and down and then looked at her surroundings. The building next to the nursery was engulfed into scaffolding with _Cavanaugh and Co._ printed across a flag attached to the metal poles in bold letters. But Aria could not help notice Toby had changed. His hair was neatly pushed back, and his arms and chest had expanded in the time of changing from a teen to an adult. His eyes had become bluer – if that was possible – and he held himself with a certain stance. She looked at his arms which had a few tattoos added to them since four years ago. If it was anyone else, Aria would feel intimidated by his bulky and confidence nature that this man displayed. Whilst time had done well to Toby, it hadn't to Aria. Although Aria still held a strikingly beautiful nature she had gotten skinnier which makes her an extremely tiny five foot two. She had blue circles under her eyes, and her face had gone hollow which was unusual due to her baby face in her teen years. But time changed people. Aria was suddenly filled with an undeniable amount of regret.

She was finally snapped out of her trance when Toby said something. "Are you okay, you look like you've seen a ghost?"

Aria blinked twice and took a step back. "I'm sorry Toby, I have to get g-going." She stuttered slightly, and then hurried off.

Toby made a face and then hurried after her. "Aria, wait!" He ran to catch up with her; she was a fast walker and she had travelled quite a distance by the time he saw her again. Aria didn't stop walking as she ignored him completely. Toby sighed. "Where did you go? Have you been in California all this time?"

Aria stopped right in front of the nursery door, holding the handle. "You don't need to know. And you don't want to know."

"Yes, I do, Aria. I can help you. We can help you." Toby said, desperately.

Aria breathed out, cutting him off on what he was going to say next. "Toby, turn around. Right now. Please. I'm begging you, you don't wanna know anything, you don't need to know anything. Just go back to work." Aria looked at him desperately. " _Please_."

Toby ran a hand through his hair. "Why?"

The nursery door opened and a small three year old came running out. "Mummy!" The tiny brunette exclaimed as she jumped into Aria's open arms.

Aria brightened, grinning falsely. "Hey, Daisy, how was your day?"

It was now Toby's turn for him mouth to drop in shock. "Aria, you're a-"

Aria nodded. "Yeah, I am."

Jess, Daisy's carer, leaned out of the building. "I'm so sorry, I saw you were in a conversation and I tried to grab her but she was already running out."

Aria shook her head, stroking Daisy's short hair. "Its fine, I was late. We're done talking. Anyways, all clear?"

Jess smiled. "A bruise on her shoulder but apart from that, all safe. She took everything and you've better get going or you'll be late."

Aria laughed. "I'm always late." She smiled at Jess. "Thank you so much, I'll see you tomorrow." Aria looked at Daisy. "Do you wanna say bye bye to Jess?"

"Bye bye Jessie." Daisy waved, smiling and after a bye from Jessie and another one from Aria, Aria walked away from the nursery with Toby following. "Mummy, who is the boy following us?" Daisy whispered, grasping Aria's hand.

"We're gonna stop for just a second, alright. Me and this man need to talk about adult issues. Do you think you cannot listen in?" Aria asked and Daisy nodded affirmative. She plugged her ears before either adults opened their mouths. "Look Toby, you can't tell anyone. And I know that's gonna be hard for you, but Toby you can't."

Toby breathed out. "Aria I can't keep this a secret. Spencer would hate me if I didn't tell her I saw you. And you know, that you have a _child_." He sighed. "Is that why you left early? Answer me, please."

Aria sighed. "I did leave early because of her, I grabbed the scholarship from UCLA and I finished that a year early. It was a lot of work but I did it. My uncle and my cousins live here and they're brilliant and I love them. My Mom moved here after Zach. Yes, Daisy is Ezra's in case you're wondering. I've got a shitty job and I can barely manage rent although I've got a fucking trust fund which is my mother – so she just pays it all - but I pretty much live in the freaking hospital-" Aria cut herself off, knowing she said too much. This has been boiling up inside of her forever and she needed to get it out but knew this wasn't the right person to rant to. "No, no, bye Toby. Bye."

Toby knew it was no use to follow her so he let her go. But he had to tell someone. Didn't he?

...

"Have I ever told you that I am extremely thankful and I owe you my life?" Aria told her uncle Alex as the two watched down upon Daisy sleeping in the hospital bed.

Alex hooked an arm around Aria. "I'm sure, if this was a different situation, with you being fifty and I being the fresh faced boy I still am, you would've done the same. You're my family and family comes first."

Aria nodded. "I know about family but thank you so much. If it weren't for you we'd be homeless."

Alex kissed Aria's head. "I wouldn't let that happen even if I didn't say I'd do it probono." He sighed. "New stats of it came in."

"How is she?"

"She'd of lost all of her hair in two months as we will be increasing her chemotherapy. The leukaemia is getting stronger not weaker which is the opposite of what we plan for." Alex kissed her head again; a means of a silent apology.

"What about Jessie?" Aria whispered as she stared at Daisy's short albeit beautiful hair.

"She'll have to come here instead of Daisy going there." Alex said. "I am so sorry."

Aria shook her head. "Don't apologise."

…

"Hey," Hanna and Spencer greeted as Toby walked into the apartment. "How was work?" Spencer asked getting up and giving him a kiss.

"Alright." Toby shrugged, making himself a coffee.

"Alright? It's usually good." Spencer sat down at Toby leaned on the counter. "Anything happen?"

"She's gonna kill me for this," he muttered which got Hanna's attention.

"Whose gonna kill you?" She asked. "Another woman?"

Toby and Spencer both gave her a stern look. "No, I, uh." He breathed out. "I saw Aria."

Hanna dropped the cookie she was eating and Spencer lost the page in her textbook. "What?" The two shouted. The two shared a look and then looked back at Toby. "What?" They repeated.

"I bumped into Aria. This girl fell over so I caught her, she started talking and I was like Aria, is that you and it was her." Toby breathed out, shaking his head. "She looked dreadful, maybe not dreadful. She still looks like Aria but she's like so small now, like tiny and she looks exhausted."

Hanna was the first to speak and come to her senses. She picked up the cookie. "Is she alright? Why did she leave? Is there a reason? What do you mean she looked dreadful?" Hanna spoke the questions fast and Toby almost lost himself in them.

"Look, I didn't speak to her for a long time. But she's got a kid." Toby said. "Like a small little child."

Spencer and Hanna's mouth dropped open. "She's got a kid?" They shouted.

Caleb entered the apartment with a rucksack and shut the door. He collapsed on the couch before asking a question. "So, who's got a kid?"

"Aria." Spencer answered and his mouth was the next to drop. "Anything else you found out?"

"Um, she's graduated UCLA already, Ella lives here and her uncle and cousins are brilliant, and um, the baby is Ezra's, and apparently she lives in the hospital and she's got a shitty job and can barely pay rent but Ella pays it and I think that's it." Toby sighed, shaking his head. "She looked skinny as hell, like proper skinny."

"Wait," Spencer held up a hand. "Go to the hospital part?"

Toby swallowed his coffee. "She said something about how she lived in the hospital all the time."

"What did she look like? Not Aria but the kid." Spencer asked. "What was her name?"

"I think her name was Daisy," an 'Aww' came from Hanna but she quickly shut up. "She had short brown hair, blue eyes, short, you know, like a three year old, and uh apparently she got a bruise on her shoulder. The lady looking after her said it was all safe and she took everything."

The four were silent as they all pondered the fact. Caleb reached for his laptop and opened it. Hanna moved to sit beside him and so did Spencer as Toby leaned over their shoulders. "What are you doing?" Hanna asked and Caleb typed Daisy Montgomery into his laptop. "I'm trying to find her. Them." The four stayed in silence for twenty minutes whilst they searched for Aria and Daisy Montgomery and stayed silent when they found her. More precise.

A hospital record.

Daisy Montgomery. Aged three. Diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

 **Hope you liked it if you read it and give me a review if you liked it. And if I did a bad one shot about Ezria and that whole Nicole situation** ** _which lets not talk about_** **, would you guys be down? We'll see**

 **Later xo**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Aria put her book down and got off of her couch to open the door. "If you're selling me something-" she started saying but shut up once she opened the door. Her eyes widened as she saw the three girls and two boys. She recognized each of them, scanning them with her eyes but then quickly slammed the door shut in their faces just as they were about to say something.

Hanna gasped slightly at the slam of the door. She certainly didn't expect Aria to welcome them with open arms and invite them into her home but she didn't expect Aria to slam the door in their faces. Caleb put an arm around her and she leaned into him. She waited for the 'I told you so' but it never came out of his mouth and she was thankful.

Spencer's face fell as the door slammed shut in her face. "Oh," she muttered to herself. She shared a look with Emily who hadn't got her hopes up too high but still had a little in her. Spencer wanted to say something about it but stopped herself. Toby kissed Spencer's head lightly. "We can always catch her at the nursery. It's a couple shops down from our new project." Toby offered, hopefully loud enough that Aria would hear and open the door with several reasons why not.

Caleb caught on, nodding. "Yeah, we can see the kid there." He and Toby shared a glance, smiling slightly. The five adults perked when they heard a loud groan and finally the door opened.

Aria gave a death glare to Toby but then focused on Hanna who spoke. "Why the fuck did you leave?" Hanna asked, venom in her voice. "We could've helped. You ever think of that?"

"Hanna!" Caleb and Spencer scolded. Spencer sighed, giving a soft smile to Aria. "What happened?"

Aria rubbed her forehead. "It's a long story."

"You got pregnant, that's it." Hanna said and was then followed by a "shut up" from Emily. "You left us."

Aria sighed, scratching her head. Today was her day off and of course they had to come on her day off. But it was never a day off. Never with Daisy.

Spencer looked away from Hanna and then caught Aria's eye. "We'd like to catch up. That's all. Just a simple coffee."

Aria laughed. "What? Here?"

Emily nodded. "Uh, yeah, we thought so."

Aria pulled on a ratty, old too-big Harrington Jacket that she found in a charity shop. "Well I have none."

…

The six entered the local coffee shop and ordered their drinks and paid upfront before sitting down. As the barista delivered their drinks several minutes later, there was still a heavy silence over them which was unusual for the group. Aria's eyes flicked to Toby. "You told them, I'm guessing?"

Toby nodded. "I had to. I couldn't just not tell them."

"Yes you could've by keeping your mouth shut." Aria breathed out. She was tired after staying up all night worrying about Daisy. She looked at her drink. "You know about her then?"

Emily offered a soft smile from beside her. "Yeah, we do. But we don't know a lot of things that we'd like to know."

Aria leaned back. "What do you want to know?"

"All of it." Hanna replied quickly.

Aria sighed, looking at all of them. "Did you tell Ezra?"

They all shook their heads. "No," Spencer muttered. "We didn't want to bother him."

"From what? Do you know where he is? What happened to him?" Aria pressed, sitting up straighter. "Have any of you talked to him?"

Caleb raised his hand. "I did, a few nights ago. He said he was coming to Cali for something and that he'd like to meet up. Uh, he's in New York and I think he's got a steady job as an English Professor there at NYU or Columbia, I forget. He misses you a lot. I mean he hasn't sai-" Caleb thought it best to stop talking about what Ezra had said recently and what he hadn't.

Aria nodded. "I miss him too." Spencer sighed heavily at the statement and Aria took that as a cue to start talking. "Okay, so I found out after prom, I had done my finals, it was all useless crap for the end of the year so I left to California because that's where Ella was staying and my scholarship was there and I was like why not just go a little early. I was terrified of everything. Of what you would think. What Ezra would think. What A would do. I was scared and I was alone so I moved here and bought a crappy apartment in a crappy part of California. I had Daisy and when she was two, she was-" Aria broke off, looking at her lap. She couldn't carry on without crying. She remembered that day so clearly. It was like it was happening, right then and right now, when she thought of it.

"You don't have to tell us, we know about the cancer." Emily said. "How old is she?"

"Three." Aria replied. "I can't tell you what you're probably expecting because there's nothing there. I live in a shitty apartment but I pretty much live in the hospital with Daisy. Her leukaemia wasn't that bad, it was weak but it's getting stronger, it's getting aggressive which means she can't live with me anymore and she's going to lose all of her hair and she's-" Aria breathed out not wanting to carry on.

"How are you paying the bills? Aren't you like incredibly short or something?" Hanna asked.

Aria inhaled. "I was incredibly short to begin with. Her insurance covers some of it but my uncle is one of the top five paediatricians in the country so he's doing it probono. I guess it's just pure luck that it's my uncle."

Spencer shifted. "What about you? Are you alright?"

Aria shrugged. "I don't know anymore. Anyways, enough about me. What about you guys?" Aria asked, trying to bring the subject from her to them.

"Well, uh, we all live together," Spencer said. "We're all in the last year of college. Are you still there or?"

Aria shook her head. "I graduated already. I wanted to get it out the way for Daisy so I did the last two years in my second year if it makes sense."

They nodded. "What did you major?" Hanna asked.

"English." Aria looked at Hanna. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to do fashion buying as my major. I think. I just decided it the other day. It might change." Hanna replied smiling. "They hate me, I keep switching,"

"It's gonna change." Caleb butted in. "And you know it." He laughed as Hanna imitated him but then she gave him a quick kiss smiling sweetly.

"What's everyone else doing?" Aria asked, clearing her throat.

"I'm doing physical education," Emily said. "You can't do swimming so." She made a face.

"Computer science." Caleb offered.

"Law," Spencer announced. "I might do business. I'm not sure."

"You own your own business? Or is it someone else's name?" Aria asked, locking eyes with Toby.

Toby gave a tight smile. "We started off pretty small, but I don't really know how I did it but yeah we're branching out."

Aria nodded, smiling gently. "That's really good."

…

Aria's eyes glanced at the clock in the room and she swore under her breath. Emily turned her head to look at Aria who was gathering up her stuff. In the past two hours, they had overcome awkwardness and managed to talk like old days but Aria felt a painful weight of guilt on her shoulders of leaving the small town without saying goodbye. They had changed together whilst she changed on her own and could see her new self. She wasn't sure if she liked her new self. She was quiet, probably abiding and didn't offer a lot of opinions. "What?" Emily asked.

"Its ten to three." Aria said, putting her coat on.

Spencer heard and then saw the time on her phone to check. "I've got a lecture, _crap_." She hurriedly got her things together and stood up.

"Do you need me to drop you?" Toby asked, already half up out of his seat, and his hand in his pocket to collect his keys.

Spencer shook her head. "No bother, I'm like a seven minute walk away." She gave him a quick kiss and then put her bag on her shoulder. "I'll see you guys at the apartment." Spencer looked at Aria. "It was really good to see you."

Aria smiled, who was also standing. "It was good to see you too." Spencer nodded awkwardly and then left the coffee place.

Hanna scribbled something down onto a napkin and then handed it to Aria. "That's my phone number. I'll always pick it up. Usually, unless I'm like sleeping or in the bath even if I'm on a date with Caleb, well depends what time and who it is but I will answer if it's you." Hanna offered a sheepish smile. "If it wasn't much trouble I'd like to get a coffee again. Maybe we could go shopping or something. I barely have the money to even shop so I just look in the windows. I don't know." Hanna shrugged. "You don't have to even call, it's just in case maybe if you need anything or something. I don't know, just have it."

Aria took the napkin. "Thanks Han. I make take you up on it."

Hanna brightened. "I'd like that a lot."

Aria smiled at them all. "I'll maybe see you all around then." She walked to the exit but was stopped by Emily who walked up to her. Emily smiled. "I'd just like to tell you that you weren't alone. You had us."

…

Aria sat on her sofa reading a book when Daisy walked out of her bedroom timidly and walked over to Aria. "Momma," Daisy whispered as Aria lifted the little child onto her lap, wrapping her arms around Daisy.

"Yes, sweetie." Aria whispered back.

Daisy looked up to Aria with big brown eyes filled with tears. She touched her head with both hands, frowning. "Am I going to lose my hair?"

The young Mother swallowed, not expecting the question. Aria breathed in and out slowly before answering. She brushed some of Daisy's hair out her eyes. "You will lose your hair baby."

Daisy frowned further.

"But you'll still look beautiful, you'll always be beautiful." Aria stroked Daisy's hair back. "Is that why you're up baby?"

Daisy nodded, shying away from Aria's gaze. "Yeah. I'm scared, Mommy." She snuggled further into Aria. "Will I have to live in the hospital? Like sleep there every night?"

Aria nodded sadly. "Yeah, baby you will. But we'll move everything there and it will look like your bedroom like it usually would." Aria kissed Daisy's head. "No need to worry sweetheart. It'll all be okay." And although Aria said that as a reassurance to Daisy, there was a part of her trying to reassure herself. But she knew she wouldn't believe whatever she told herself.

 **whoa i updated - what is this post-truth world in which i update its a new phenomenon. I'm lowkey overwhelmed with how many people favourited and followed the story and big shoutout to my two reviewers - i was waiting for you guys! - and review more readers, it makes me smile! hope you guys have a good week**

 **im out!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well guys, if you're asking for Ezra then I think I have to give you Ezra**

Aria grabbed the buzzing phone out of her pocket and answered it. "Hey Holden." Aria whispered into the phone. Holden had known about Aria moving to California as she had told him that she was pregnant and although he lived in New York for college he had helped her a lot. She was terrified what the girls would think but knew Holden would help her – even a little - as she had known him pretty much her whole life.

"Hey, how are you?" Holden asked. "Are you okay?"

Aria nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "I'm just in the hospital." She left the room but stayed by the window, looking in. "Okay, I'm out the room now."

Holden chuckled slightly. "How are you?"

"I bumped into Toby which led to me meeting him, Hanna, Spence, Emily and Caleb again. That was a huge shock." Aria said and then breathed out. "I might go see them again, after all, they were my best friends."

"You need to go out sometimes. I know you have Daisy and everything but, she'll be fine with you going out for a night." Holden replied.

"Its not about her, its about me. I'll have a heart attack." Aria sniggered at herself. "Anyways how are you?" She ran two of her fingers across the windowsill of the window that looked into Daisy's room.

"I am very good, actually I am coming to California, well I am in California right now, I landed like an hour ago. Anyways, I was wondering if you'd like to meet up." Holden didn't let Aria give an answer before carrying on. "And because Ella loves me, she said she can come to the hospital for the one night to be with her granddaughter so we can go out."

"Holden I can-"

Holden sighed, pretending to be frustrated with her. "Aria, yes you can. I am buying you a drink at a place of your choice. It will not be near the hospital."

"There's one opposite. Please, please, please. Holden. If I agree to a drink, you agree to this. You're Daisy's godfather, you have to have some responsibility within you. Plus you said my choice." Aria laughed to herself. "Also there is darts."

"Oh, Montgomery, you've got me right there." Holden laughed. "Anyways, text me the address and I will meet you there tomorrow."

Aria grinned, feeling happy which she hadn't known for a long time. "Yes, I'll see you. Wait, shall we do eight?"

"Eight is perfect."

…

"Dude, what's up?" Caleb asked as he answered the phone to Ezra. "Shall I put you on speaker, Toby's here?"

"Yeah, sure, how are you guys?" Ezra asked.

"We're good here." Toby said. "There's supposed to be an earthquake in a couple days so that sucks."

Ezra laughed. " _Oh no_. I hope you die in it."

"No you don't, you wouldn't have any friends otherwise." Caleb joked and the three laughed. "How is it up in New York?"

"Uh, its great. Hooked up with a totally hot chick the other night though but you guys are tied down so I'm not sure you would know what's it like." Ezra laughed with the two. "But yeah, I just landed and I was ringing to ask where we're meeting up tomorrow. Eight, right?"

"Yeah, yeah." Toby said. "Anyways, we found this really cool bar opposite the hospital and its pretty cheap. We thought we could do there."

"And if we get alcohol poisoning, there's a hospital so its perfect convenience." Caleb said and they laughed.

…

Ezra arrived at the bar five minutes early so he set his eyes on a blonde who was alone at the bar and sitting on a stool. "Hey," he greeted, getting her attention.

The blonde smiled as she looked at him, scanning him up and down. "Hi, I'm Emma." She stuck her hand out and Ezra shook it. "I'm Ezra, its nice to meet you." He grinned at her. "What are you doing here all alone?"

"I am waiting for a date, are you that date?"

Ezra laughed. "No but I wish I was." He heard laughter behind him, turned his head and nodded to Toby and Caleb. He scribbled his number on a piece of paper. "If your date isn't up to your standards, that's my number. Feel free to call but no pressure."

Emma smiled, nodding. "I might take you up on it." She nodded to Toby and Caleb. "Go to your friends."

Ezra mock saluted with two fingers making her laugh and joined Toby and Caleb on a booth in the left side of the bar. Toby and Caleb laughed as he slid in with Toby; Ezra shrugged. "What can I do?"

"How did you get so charming? If I were the girl I would no way near give you my number." Caleb said laughing.

"I have my ways," Ezra replied laughing as well.

Suddenly Caleb choked on his drink, coughing and sputtering.

"Too strong for you?" Toby teased and Caleb gave him the finger still coughing. Ezra and Toby laughed. Ezra got up from the table. "I'm hungry, you guys want anything? A water?" He offered and Caleb gave him a glare, still coughing. Ezra laughed. "Alright," he said walking away to the table and from the bar.

"Aria's here." Caleb said and Toby leaned forward, his eyebrows creased.

"What do you mean Aria's here?" Toby asked.

"Its why I choked, I saw Aria. She is here, meeting someone probably. She saw me too. We, just, oh shit Toby!"

"Holy shit dude." Toby swore. "Really? Where is she?"

Caleb rubbed his forehead. "I think we've just created World War Three."

…

Aria came to the table swearing. She quickly sat down, and slid down in the corner. Holden's eyebrows creased. "What? What's wrong?"

"Caleb and Toby are here." Aria said.

Holden relaxed slightly. "That's alright, I guess, you said you saw them."

Aria shook her head, her eyes wide. "With Ezra."

Holden let off a string of swearwords. "Holy crap." He finished.

"Yeah, indeed." Aria groaned. "Shit, what if he sees me?"

Holden let out a breath. "Relax, I ordered some shots, they'll be here like now." Holden smiled as the tray was delivered. He gave a shot to Aria and clinked theirs together. "Cheers." He smirked. "Drink up."

Aria rolled her eyes but swallowed the shot a few seconds after Holden swallowed his. Her eyes teared up slightly at the sour taste but she grabbed a second shot soon after. "I haven't had a drink in a long time, let me have this."

"That's what I'm doing." Holden said. "You need to relax sometimes, Aria. I know Daisy's got leukaemia but there are people in your life so you don't need to take it _all_ on your shoulders."

Aria sighed. "I know, but I just feel alone. Every day."

Holden offered her a smile. "You're not."

Aria nodded, but once again she didn't know if she believed it.

…

Aria paled when she saw Ella calling and answered straight away. "What happened?" Aria asked, frantically, already putting on her coat. She knew something was bound to happen while she was out. "Is my baby alright?"

"Honey, honey, shh," Ella's calming voice did nothing to tame Aria was now frantic in her movements. "It was just a seizure! Nothing major. It went for a bit longer-"

"What do you mean a bit longer?" Aria shouted which got the attention of a few people and made them look at her.

"It took a bit of time for her to calm down-"

"Mom." Aria said, now standing up and fishing money out her purse. Ella didn't stop talking. "Ella!" Aria shouted, getting the attention of a few tables, including the one which inhabited the three people she didn't want to see tonight. "What's going on?" She asked.

…

Ezra and Caleb turned around at the young woman shouting to presumably the man in the booth. Ezra raised his eyebrows at Caleb. "Guessing her date didn't go so well?" Ezra joked and Caleb and Toby failed to laugh. "Do you guys know her?"

Caleb and Toby shared a look. "No, we can't." Caleb said.

"We have to!" Toby said.

"She was pissed at _us_ for knowing." Caleb said.

"Who is this person?" Ezra said. "You can tell me, who is she?"

Caleb sucked in a breath as she turned around and ran out of the bar. Ezra's mouth dropped but then he quickly recovered his senses and ran out of the bar, following Aria's footsteps.

"Fuck," Toby said.

"My thoughts exactly." Caleb added.

 **okay cool hope you guys enjoyed that and leave a review if you liked it if you like**

 **have a good week lol x**


	4. Chapter 4

Ezra caught up to Aria pretty quickly and grabbed her arm. "Aria, wait, please." Ezra breathed. "It's you, right? It has to be you! I'm not believing it's you until you turn around."

Aria whirled around, an expression on her face that he couldn't read. "Ezra, let go, please."

Ezra shook his head vigorously. "No, I am not." Ezra grabbed her other hand, bringing her closer to him. "I'm not letting you go now I have you." He murmured, almost to himself as tears came to his eyes.

Aria groaned, trying to get out of his grip. "Ezra," she looked into his eyes, "let me go, please."

"Why! Why should I?" Ezra shouted.

"You have to." Aria shouted back. "Please, Ezra!"

Ezra shook his head. "I can't, I'm not. I let you go once and I'm not letting you go once again. No way," he shook his head once again. "Aria, please."

"Ezra!" Aria nearly screamed, knowing what she'd have to do to just get to Daisy. And if it was telling. It was telling. "You have to! Just follow me, okay!" She yanked herself out of his grasp. "Follow me, okay?" She sighed, defeated.

"Okay." Ezra sighed and Aria broke off into a run towards the hospital. Ezra shook his head in absolute bewilderment but nevertheless ran after her. He had no idea how Aria seemed to know where to run without going to the receptionist. He followed her with every bend and ran down the stairs with her until they reached the children's ward. She didn't even stop at the desk, just ran in, nodding to the person who said hello to her. Ezra became even more confused than he was.

A hospital.

What the fuck were they doing in a hospital?

Aria was suddenly stopped by a man in a white coat who grasped the top of her arms; stopping her. "Aria, Aria!" The doctor said.

"What, Alex, tell me she's okay, you need too!" Aria exclaimed, looking into his eyes.

"You may want to sit down." Alex, the doctor said.

Aria shook her head. "No, no. She's not, she can't be she's not allowed to be." Aria's eyes welled up as she brought her hand to her mouth.

Alex realised his mistake and started to shake his head as well. "No, no, no, of course not. No!"

Aria let out a huge breath and sat down. "What's happening? What's going on?"

"We have to start chemotherapy sooner than we expected. We thought it would progress at its normal rate but it's travelling fast, really fast, Aria." Alex knelt on the floor, so he was eye to eye with his niece. "If we don't start in the next three days results can be catastrophic."

Aria swallowed, sinking in the chair. "Please, do whatever you can, _please_."

Alex kissed her forehead. "We'll do our best."

Ezra coughed. "Can someone please tell me what's going on here? What's happened?"

Alex looked at him and then looked at Aria. "Is he?" He didn't carry on; just stopped himself in the middle of the sentence.

Aria nodded. "Yeah." Alex nodded and then winked at Aria before walking away. Aria stood up with shaky legs. "If you excuse me," Aria walked away from him and to the room just across from where he was standing. She let herself in and shut the door, giving him one last look.

Ezra breathed out and sat down in the chair Aria had just occupied looking across from him. _What the fuck is going on?_ He thought.

…

Ella stood up and Aria fell straight into her open arms. "Mommy," Aria whispered into Ella's shoulder as she started to cry.

"Oh baby." Ella whispered, stroking Aria's hair. "It's gonna be alright, just wait and see."

Aria hugged Ella tighter. "Ezra's here."

Ella was shocked speechless. It took her a few seconds to process it and come up with an answer. "Did you call him?"

Aria shook her head. "I bumped into Toby which led to him, Spencer, Hanna, Emily and Caleb knocking on my door and uh having coffee and I went to the bar with Holden tonight as you know but Ezra was there with Toby and Caleb and I had no idea he was in California, and he saw me when I was running out and he caught up to me and he's sitting out there." Aria let out a sob. "And I don't know what to do."

Ella kissed Aria's head and started to once again stroke her hair. "You're not supposed to know honey."

Aria breathed out, and wiped her eyes pulling away from the hug. "Do I have to tell him?"

"I think you do." Ella kissed Aria's forehead. "Oh baby I know you never wanted this to happen."

Aria burrowed her head into her mother's neck. "I don't want to become another burden," she sobbed.

…

Holden was the first one to arrive in the children's ward and head to Daisy's room but heard Aria crying and turned back to sit in a seat. A couple seconds after, Toby and Caleb entered the ward and walked over to Ezra who was sitting down.

"Do you know about her?" Toby asked.

"Know about who? Is it Ella?" Ezra asked. "What the fuck is happening?"

"So that's a no." Caleb said. "Okay."

Ezra looked at the two, rubbing his hands together. "When did you see her? Because you know something about my," he breathed out, "about Aria that I don't. Have you always known? Have you always known she's been here?"

"No," Caleb said as Toby shook his head. "Toby literally caught her on Wednesday and then we had coffee yesterday and she was pissed and annoyed that we knew and then boom you're here in the bar and then Aria walks in and now," he gestured to his surroundings.

"Why didn't you call me?" Ezra asked. "You could've called."

"Well, you should blame the girls on that part, because we were gonna call you but they all were like no its Aria's choice but we were like bla bla bla Ezra should know but yeah in the end they won." Toby said. "But yeah, now I think it, it is really Aria's choice to tell you."

"Tell me about what?" Ezra asked.

"I'll tell you, okay?" Aria said, shutting the door quietly behind her. Holden got up from his chair at the sight of her. He put his hands on her shoulders. "She's alright yeah? Like, and you're okay, cause you were crying and yeah," Holden whispered and then brought her into a huge, bear hug. "I'm so so sorry Aria, I'm such a dick."

Aria hugged back. "I'm good, I was just overwhelmed. Really overwhelmed but I think I'm alright now. Daisy's, oh God, they need to start chemo sooner than later otherwise she's gonna die."

Holden kissed her head. "It'll be good."

"Who the fuck are you? Are you her boyfriend or something? Because in the bar it did not seem like she didn't want to see anymore to be honest." Ezra said standing up.

Aria pulled away from the comforting hug and glared at Ezra. "Ezra," Aria said loudly to stop him from babbling.

"What?" Ezra asked.

"Shut the fuck up." Aria said and turned to Caleb and Toby. "Did you tell him _anything_?"

Caleb looked away from the Aria glare they used to call it and Toby bravely answered. "Uh, we told him about how we met you and why we didn't call him but we didn't tell him anything, did we Caleb?"

Caleb nodded, unable to look Aria in the eyes. "Mmhm."

"Good." Aria said and then looked at Ezra. "Do you want to know or not?"

Ezra nodded. "Aria of course I do." He stood up and walked to the door with her. Aria opened the door and Ella walked out, giving Aria's hand a squeeze. Aria walked in first and then let Ezra in. He shut the door behind him and looked at the small girl – who was like a mini Aria – and let out a long breath. "Who is she?" Ezra breathed, sitting down in a chair next to Aria.

Aria shut her eyes, breathed in and out and then opened her eyes. "This is Daisy," Aria swallowed and looked at Ezra, trying to find an expression, "and this girl is our daughter."

Ezra drew in a breath, his mouth dropping slightly. "Oh, uh." He swallowed. He breathed out and looked at the small girl in the bed. She had pale skin, like Aria, and cropped brown short hair. She had a cute button nose and had a furry blanket thrown over her. Ezra wondered if her shoulders were cold. He reached for her hand, but stopped, dropping his hand on the blanket instead. Aria placed her hand over his after a while and he looked at her.

"I'm sorry," Aria whispered.

Ezra looked away from Aria, unable to meet the eyes that he's been longing to see.

 **sorry for the late update. i don't know why i waited so long. i hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and if you like you can leave a comment they do make my day!**

 **see you next chapter x**


	5. Chapter 5

"Come in," Aria said at the knock on the door, taking her hand off of Ezra's. Ezra felt a sudden coldness come over his hand but deliberately chose to ignore it. Alex walked in with a clipboard, smiling at Aria. "A few documents?" She asked quietly.

Alex nodded, passing them to Aria with a smile. "I've read them through, you just read the bits I've highlighted and sign the places I've starred." Alex looked at Ezra. "Are you the father?"

Ezra nodded. "Uh, yeah, yeah."

"I'm Doctor Rose but you can call me Alex. I'm Daisy's doctor, and Aria's uncle. If you have any questions please let me know. I'm around nearly all the time but if you can't find me, please take my card from the desk." Alex smiled and held out his hand.

Ezra shook it. "I'm Ezra, it's nice to meet you."

Alex nodded. "It's nice to meet you too. Finally. I've been pressing Aria to get in touch with you. It's nice to see she finally did it." He smiled to the two before exiting but Aria had hidden her face behind her hair. "Aria, if there's trouble," Alex pointed to the button and Aria nodded. He left the room just as Ella entered.

"It's nice to see you again Ezra." Ella said smiling at him.

Ezra smiled back. "You too Ella."

Ella kissed Aria on the head. "It's eleven, so I thought you two could go home and talk while I stayed the night in the bed." Ella whispered in Aria's ear.

"Mom, I can't ask you that. No, that's way too much." Aria said.

"No, honey, go home. You need to talk with Ezra about a few things and when you come back in the morning I'll be here and so will Daisy, alright?" Ella asked. "Do this as a favour to me?"

Aria sighed. "I'll sign a few papers and we'll be out of here all right?"

…

Aria put the papers on the table, finally done at one in the morning. Holden, Caleb and Toby disappeared after a half hour of Aria and Ezra walking in on Daisy. Ezra stood up and Aria put her coat on. "We'll have to walk."

Ezra shook his head. "I rented a car instead of getting a taxi. I parked in the pub car park, there's no need to walk."

Aria smiled. "Cool."

…

Aria let herself into her apartment with her key with Ezra following behind. It had been silent the whole car journey; an agonizing silence. Ezra looked around the apartment; it wasn't much. The carpets were obviously old and the kitchen appliances were all already in there when Aria bought it and probably so was half of the furniture. She had a table in the kitchen which probably was used as a dining room too. There was a small table in the middle of the sofa and two love seats – again which was in the apartment when Aria bought it. "May I?" Ezra asked, motioning to the fridge.

"Go ahead, you won't find much in there." Aria said and Ezra opened the fridge. "Do you need to go grocery shopping?" Ezra asked.

"Huh?" Aria asked, sitting on the couch.

Ezra motioned to the inside of the fridge. "You have a couple yoghurts, milk and a few other things." Ezra looked at Aria who wasn't looking at him. "You don't need to go grocery shopping, do you?"

Aria shook her head. "Daisy gets most her food at the hospital and she's not usually hungry in the morning. Either way it doesn't sit well with her medication so she gets sick. She gets lunch at the place where they look after her which is nine till three. Then she stays in the hospital from three until six and gets her dinner at five. By half six we're home and she's washed by seven. And at fifteen past seven she's out like a light."

Ezra shut the door; his hopes for a drink demolished. He sat down on the seat opposite Aria and looked at her, trying to catch her gaze. "We need to talk Aria."

Aria looked up, their gazes locking. "Ask the questions then Ezra."

Ezra breathed out. "Why did you leave? I could've helped. I know Daisy is the reason why. But I need to know _why_." His voice got louder with every word so he was shouting and Aria didn't know how but he was suddenly standing up.

Aria stood up too. Now Aria wasn't wearing her heels their height difference was more noticeable but Aria's stare was more than enough to make it up. "I was scared!" Aria shouted. "I was scared and I didn't know what you would think or what you would do."

"I would've supported you! Us!" Ezra shouted back. "I wouldn't of broken up with you is that what you thought?" He said, his voice no longer loud as he took a step closer to Aria.

Aria opened her mouth and then closed. "We just, there was the Malcolm situation and it was senior year and prom and it was right before college."

"Aria the Malcolm situation was like ten months ago to that. I don't care if it was prom or if it was right before college. I would've stayed with you throughout it all."

Aria raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

Ezra nodded. "Yes. Do you really think I would've left because the Maggie situation was completely, it was, just, ugh, it was bullshit?" Ezra widened his eyes. "My mother didn't pay you off, did she?"

Aria shook her head. "She didn't, I don't know if she knows and stuff but she hasn't like contacted me or anything." Aria said quietly. "She didn't."

He nodded. "Good, that's good."

"I wouldn't have done it anyway." She looked up at him. "You didn't think that I did, did you?"

Ezra suddenly avoided her eyes, stepping away slightly, and Aria swallowed, a wounded expression on her face. Ezra opened his mouth. "She offers a lot of money, Aria."

"I know that but I didn't do it. I wouldn't do it because I loved you!" Aria exclaimed, throwing up her hands in a _duh_ motion.

"Then why did you leave?" Ezra yelled. "Yes I know because you were scared of what people would think. But what about the Aria I knew who _didn't_ care?"

Aria looked livid, almost matching Ezra's expression. "Being knocked up by an English teacher isn't the same as dating one!" She yelled back but regretted it as soon as she saw the expression on his face.

Ezra swallowed, suddenly wanting to step down from the fight they were having. He would happily take a second place medal and go back to New York and continue living his perfectly normal life where he could do whatever he wanted and do whoever he wanted. But his life wasn't worth living without Aria when knowing he could've made it right. She wasn't a Jackie. She certainly wasn't a Maggie. And as much as he wanted to believe she wasn't even anywhere near to Nicole on whatever measuring scale there was. " _Just_ _an English teacher_?" He uttered out, his voice breaking on the just.

Aria shook her head, whispering "No," over and over again with insane remorse. "Of course not, you know what you mean to me Ezra."

Ezra couldn't look at her without being filled with an emptiness that he wished he could fill. He inwardly groaned – he never would've imagined it'd be this hard to look her. "You mean meant?"

Aria shook her head. "I mean what I said." Aria looked deeply at his eyes, trying to establish the contact that had so suddenly vanished and wished something would happen. Wished he would wrap his arms around her. Wished he would lean down and kiss her. She hadn't been touched in four years and she wanted to be. But by him. By Ezra. A silence unfolded over them until Ezra's phone started ringing and he fumbled around in his pockets until he found it and answered.

"Hi, who is it?" Ezra asked, not needing anything to break him any further than he was.

"This is Emma, the girl from the bar? You said I could call." The blonde asked, her voice low and husky.

Ezra sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I'm not around right now." He hung up his phone and threw it on the sofa, trying to get some of his anger and frustration out of his body.

"Who was that?" Aria asked, her voice small.

Ezra rubbed his forehead. "No one." He groaned and then sat down on the sofa. "Its late," he said as Aria sat down beside him. She nodded. "I know."

Ezra's eyes flicked to the dark circles under Aria's eyes. "You should get some sleep, you look exhausted."

Aria shook her head. "I'm fine right here." She coughed. "You can stay here the night, I can probably get a few sheets out or a blanket or you could sleep in my bed, maybe. That'd be weird, I don't know. You've probably got a hotel to go to or maybe you're going to their apartment, I'm not sure where are you staying?"

"At a hotel, across the street from them." Ezra replied.

"Why are you here? In California?"

Ezra cleared his throat. "Some stuff for work. Speaking of work, where do you work?"

"Uh well I write a bit and I sell some paintings but its not a lot and I don't get a lot of money from it and it's just down the drain but I just write for a blog really."

"Its probably not down the drain." Ezra said sweetly.

Aria blushed slightly, turning her head away so he couldn't see. "Yeah it is."

Ezra placed a hand on Aria's knee, wanting to touch her but not wanting to upset her. She held in a moan. "You're good at that stuff."

Aria shrugged, not knowing what to answer with.

…

Ezra banged on Toby and theirs apartment door, not caring what the time was. The door swung open as he raised his fist once again. Hanna sent him a death glare and Ezra hid his smirk at her bed head. "It's four in the morning and I _just_ got into bed!" She exclaimed, her voice laced with venom.

"And _I'm_ having a mid-life crisis!" Ezra exclaimed and Hanna welcomed him in grudgingly.

"What do you want?" Hanna asked, signalling to the kitchen. "Scotch, ice cream? Other stuff?"

Ezra collapsed on the couch as Caleb trudged out the bedroom and nodded to him as he collapsed on the chair opposite of him. Hanna gave Ezra the scotch and sat down at Caleb's feet, holding Ben and Jerry's with a spoon. Hanna dug in as Ezra brought the bottle to his lips.

"What happened?" Caleb asked.

"I've got a kid oh my fucking Lord." Ezra said. "How does that happen?"

"Well," Caleb said raising his eyebrows. "The daddy put his-"

"Shut up." Emily said, coming out from one of their bathrooms. She sat down next to Ezra and wrapped an arm around his shoulders and he leaned his head on her shoulder. "How are you?"

"I don't even know. I was great and then I saw her and I just its Aria like holy shit and now I have a kid."

"You know you've got to stay, right?" Hanna said. "You don't have to, but." Hanna stopped talking, not knowing what to say next.

Ezra nodded. "I'd stay even if I didn't have a three year old kid diagnosed with leukaemia. _Its Aria_ for Christ's sake."

"Do you still love her?" Caleb asked cautiously.

Ezra scoffed under his breath. "Is that even a question, I mean its Aria I've never stopped loving her but I don't know she doesn't seem much in love with me."

"Nah," Emily shook her head. "When we had coffee she seemed pretty much in love with you. She sat up straighter and she perked up a little but I dunno Ezra. Play it by the cards."

"I can't do that when I've got a sick kid." He took a swig of scotch, the bitter taste leaving a resentful mark on his face.

 **I'm real bad at updating. i always have been. whoops.**

 **and the new ep of PLL got me lowkey shook and now i'm thinking uber A is peter does anyone else get me or am i alone in this? also in the trailer I'm so sure that aria said i can't marry ezra instead of bury I'm like so sure. i hope I'm sure (and I'm probably talking to myself in this authors note)**

 **i like this chapter a lot - and i hope you guys did too, so if you did you know what to do - please leave a review! (did that rhyme? i feel like it did)**

 **kisses**


	6. Chapter 6

**all fucked me up. and it fucked me over big time.**

"Jesus, oh God I'm sorry," Ezra said, bumping into Aria as she left her apartment building while Ezra went in.

Aria smoothed her hair. "Don't be, I am, I should've looked."

Ezra shook his head. "Are you heading out?" He asked, wanting to catch her for just a moment. "Cause I can drop you somewhere if you need to go somewhere?" He offered.

Aria shook her head, standing in the doorway. "I'm really fine."

"No, Aria, please. It would honestly be no trouble, I'd be happy to do it." Ezra gave a smile, holding up his car keys. Aria glanced towards them sighing and Ezra knew he caught her. Aria returned his smile. "Alright, then." She said. "Where's your car?"

Ezra nodded, his smile just a little brighter. "This way," he motioned and the two started walking towards it, slowly, as if they wanted to spend a little more time together than they could – or should.

Aria glanced up at him for a moment. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

Ezra nodded, clearing his throat. "I wanted to ask you something if it was okay? Uh." He breathed out slightly. "I know I haven't really met her or anything but I just wanted to get Daisy a gift or something. Like a princess dress or something. I don't know maybe it's a stupid idea."

Aria shook her head. "No, no that would be really nice of you. You wouldn't have to do that."

"No, I want to." Ezra stopped in the middle of the street and faced Aria making her do the same. "I want to make an effort Aria, and I also want you to know that," he breathed out, shutting his eyes for a moment and then looking away. "Aria, I want to know, I need to know, if I can be in Daisy's life?"

Aria opened her mouth and then shut it. She certainly wasn't expecting that question. "Uh," Aria wondered knowing she had to say yes. Of course she had to say yes. She wanted Daisy to have her dad around and she wanted Ezra to be around. She liked having him around. "Yeah," she said, meaning it from the bottom of her heart. "Ezra, of course you're allowed to be in Daisy's life. I would love for you to be."

Ezra exhaled, a grin on his face. "Good, that's great. I'm happy, thank you." He nodded, grinning and then started walking again. "Where are you going?"

"The hospital." Aria said, nodding. "I'm going to relieve my mother of her duties."

"Did you have a good night?" Ezra asked, knowing that he hadn't. Aria shrugged. "My friend came over." She said. Nothing more and nothing less. "I hadn't seen her in a bit because she went home for awhile but she came over and it was nice to see her."

He nodded again. "That must've been nice." He breathed in slightly. "I stayed in my hotel room for a bit reading."

"What are you reading?" Aria asked.

"The Luminaries. I've been reading it for about two months now, it's killing me." Ezra said chuckling with Aria. Aria smiled. "I know how you feel, I left it."

"You never leave books." Ezra said. "The only book that I remember you left was The Fifth Wave but you went back to it and that was a good choice."

Aria smirked, rolling her eyes. "I only read it because of you. You loved it!"

Ezra nodded, unlocking his car that he was approaching. "That is true, I loved it and I was shocked you didn't. I thought you'd like it."

Aria shrugged, a slight smile on her face. "So did I."

…

Aria turned to Ezra as she got out the car. She crouched down lightly so she was staring him right in the eyes. "Ezra?" She asked.

Ezra nodded. "Yeah?" He asked, reaching over the centre console to get a bigger look at her. "Are you alright?"

Aria nodded. "Do you wanna meet her?"

"Yeah, yeah I do but I have the work thing today and uh I can come back later? I can bring you in some lunch, what would you like?" Ezra asked, turning flustered. "Unless now is the only good time."

Aria shook her head. "Any time's good." She smiled. "It was nice seeing you again Ezra."

Ezra nodded. "You too." Aria shut the door but Ezra remembered quickly. He pressed the button to bring the window down and called her name. Aria turned around, her eyebrows raised. "What's Daisy's favourite Disney princess or movie for that matter?"

Aria grinned. "She likes Belle."

…

Ezra answered the call from his best friend and held up to his ear. "How was the job interview? Did you get the job?" Hardy asked. "I hope you didn't."

Ezra barked a laugh. "You're gonna hate me because they offered it and I took it. I'm really happy with it, you'll have to live on your own from now."

Hardy smiled on the other line. "Nah, dude I'm happy for you. Even I've got a girlfriend, you need to settle down."

Ezra laughed once again. "Settle down? That's a relatively new term for you. Where did you hear that?"

"The dictionary my friend. It is not a mystery to the world." Hardy coughed on the other end. "So you're gonna move to LA? Gonna leave me for your more youthful friends? I'm hurt."

"You've got too old for me." Ezra said.

"Where are you? You've got pretty crappy cell reception." Hardy asked. Ezra breathed out, not knowing if he was looking forward to telling Hardy about Aria and his kid. "I'm in a car park." Ezra answered.

"Why you there? Looking for a chick?"

Ezra scoffed. "I wish, you wouldn't believe what happened this last weekend."

"What? You sound pretty bad but I thought it was the reception. What is it?"

"Remember Aria?" Ezra didn't let Hardy reply. "Well, I saw her at a bar, I followed her into the hospital and I have now got a child, diagnosed with leukaemia."

"Holy shit, dude. Good thing you got that job." Hardy breathed.

…

Ezra breathed in and out heavily as he stared at the hospital. He parked in the car park and had walked all the way to the front of the hospital and opposite the bar so he would know exactly where to go and which room without asking and being questioned like he was afraid he would be. He was scared of the question that was doomed to be asked. 'Are you here to see your daughter?' _Yeah I am_ and then to the point where the nurse asks if he has a _nice_ relationship and he stands there frozen, not knowing what the word _nice_ means but before running out the hospital in fright.

He's scared he'll run out, thinking this is too big for him and that he can't handle it but if he's six years older than Aria who's been looking after and running around after Daisy in the hardest years of her life then he can do it. He can walk in and watch his daughter laugh and have a conversation with her and ask why she likes the princess Belle and he wonders if it's because she likes books but Ezra doesn't want to get his hopes up. _She's a three year old with cancer,_ he reminds himself. _Of course she hasn't read Harry Potter. Don't be dim Ezra._

Ezra takes a final breath and walks into the hospital with two Disney bags and a bag for his and Aria's lunch. He remembers the route Aria took but looks steadily around him, his surroundings blurring as he walked past them. He's never liked hospitals and he doesn't like it any less than today. The smell of antiseptic stings his eyes and the anticipation of seeing Daisy awake for the first time makes his hands sweat.

He reached the children's floor and nerves bubbled up inside of him as if he was a pasta that was done boiling. He can see into wards with little girls with no hair, a ward full of boys surrounding another little boy who's too sick to get out of bed. Ezra swallows and wishes he wasn't carrying the bags so he could wipe his hands free from sweat.

"Ezra, right?" He hears and then turns his head to see Aria's uncle slash Daisy's doctor. Ezra smiles politely. "Yeah, yeah."

Doctor Rose smiles at him. "Here to see Aria?"

Ezra can't find his words a moment or two, somehow this is also a bad question as well and he can't manage to find a grip on the right words. "Um, both actually. I think, I don't know."

Alex smiles warmly at him and puts a hand on Ezra's shoulder. "Well, you're going the wrong direction." Alex said, laughing and Ezra gives a sheepish smile. Before he can say anything, the doctor offers to lead the way.

 **my updating schedule is as bad as zane hijazi's - throw me a review if you know what i mean and leave me a review if you dont**

 **xo**


	7. Chapter 7

Ezra thanked Alex as he walked away from dropping off Ezra at the seats outside Daisy's room. He walked up to Daisy's room and peeked in through the glass window and the partially shut blinds. Daisy was sleeping and Aria was watching her; Ezra knocked on the door. "Come in," Aria called, expecting it to be Alex or Holden.

The door opened and Aria was a bit shocked to see Ezra because she thought he'd come later. "Hi," Ezra greeted. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Aria shook her head, standing up from her chair. "Oh no, no. Dais just fell asleep a couple minutes ago after her lunch. She'll wake up in an hour or two."

Ezra nodded and then lifted the bag which contained their lunch. "I brought food."

Aria breathed out in relief. "Thank you, I'm starving." Aria moved her seat to the table across the room. "Do you wanna sit?" Aria asked and Ezra nodded, sitting down in the seat opposite Aria. "How was the work thing?"

Ezra nodded, smiling. "It was really good."

Aria raised her eyebrows. "It seemed pretty short. What was it?"

"Um, it was a final job interview."

"And you got it?"

Ezra nodded, grinning. "It looks like it and I'm really happy about it. I've been wanting to move here for ages but there hasn't been something that I wanted to do. And a job opened up and now I've got it, I'm really happy."

Aria grinned back. "That's great, I'm happy for you." Aria glanced at Daisy, needing to ask a question but not wanting to. "Um," she said finding her voice. "Are you staying?"

Ezra knew what she meant and his eyes laid on Daisy and then switched over to Aria. He set down his lunch and leaned forward, trying to move closer to Aria. "Aria, if I didn't get the job I would've stayed otherwise."

Aria swallowed her food, nodding gently. "When do you start?"

"In three weeks." He replied. "It's enough time to get an apartment and move my stuff over and everything and say goodbye to all my friends at home." Ezra shrugged. "It's the new term."

Aria put her food down, full up. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you want to move here? Why now?"

Ezra eyed Aria's food and wondered if she was done or not before answering. "You know I've always loved California. And, it's the right time of my life to do this." Ezra paused. "Are you full up?"

Aria looked at her food and then offered it. "You want it?"

"No."

She raised her eyebrows. "Why did you ask?"

"Aria you had like five bites." Ezra said. She shrugged, turning away. Ezra sighed. "And you also said you were starving."

"Stop giving me the third degree," Aria snapped and Ezra breathed through his nose, frustrated. "I'm not giving you the third degree, Aria, I'm just making sure you're okay." He whispered back furiously.

"You don't need to make sure Ezra." Aria turned to him. "I'm not your responsibility." She said carefully.

Ezra leaned back in his chair, rubbing his face. "You're the mother of my daughter, believe it or not I do have a say."

Aria breathed out, her jaw clenched. "Stop whining!"

"I'm not whini-" Ezra scoffed but stopped when Daisy moaned, "Momma,"

Aria rushed over to Daisy's side and brushed her hair back gently. "You okay baby?"

Daisy shook her head. "My tummy feels funny," she said, pushing herself up onto the bed and Aria grabbed the cardboard bowl just in case Daisy threw up anything. Daisy started to cough and then Ezra looked away as Daisy started to throw up. He thought how hard it would be to get used to this but he knew he had to get used to this.

Of course he couldn't leave.

Aria turned around to look at Ezra and he stood up. "Do you wanna put that in the bin for me? Please?" Ezra nodded immediately and took the bowl straight away and nearly shoved it in the bin, making a face and wiping his hands on his jeans. Aria shot him a glare.

"Who's that Momma? Is that the man who was following us a day ago?" Daisy asked innocently.

"No baby, it's another boy and I want you to meet him. Can you do that today or do you feel too ill?" Aria whispered.

Daisy shook her head gently. "I can do it." She sniffed and leant back onto her pillows which Aria had fluffed up. Aria nearly dragged Ezra over he was so frozen. "This is my friend Ezra."

Daisy smiled meekly. "I'm Daisy," she looked from Ezra to Aria and then back to Ezra. "Are you Momma's boyfriend?"

Ezra laughed, shaking his head. "No, no matter how much I wish I was though." Ezra winked and Daisy giggled into her hands.

"Do you like her?" Daisy whispered, placing her hands around her mouth in an attempt to make Aria deaf to Daisy's whispering; Aria rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

Ezra covered one side of his mouth with his hand. "I do, quite a lot." He whispered loudly so Aria would hear which she did, and as a result her pinks reddened slightly.

"Momma's gone red." Daisy whispered, giggling. "Momma, do you like him too?"

Aria rolled her eyes making Daisy giggle even more. She squeaked her daughter's nose. "I can tell him if I like him in my own time."

Daisy shrugged and then turned to Ezra. "Can you be Momma's boyfriend?"

Aria froze but thankfully Ezra didn't. He rubbed his hands together. "Why'd you say that?"

Daisy looked down and started to fiddle with her blanket. "Cause she needs someone to look after her when I'm gone."

"Daisy," Aria's voice broke as she held in a cry. "You're not going anywhere," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. She kissed her daughter on the forehead. "I'm gonna go get some food, you'll be fine with Ezra won't you?" Daisy nodded and Aria rushed out the room.

Ezra moved so he was sitting cross legged on the bed and faced Daisy so she didn't have to move extremely. "Why do you think you're gonna go?"

Daisy looked up at him and then held out her finger. "Pinkie promise me you won't tell Momma."

Ezra shook his pinkie with hers. "I pinkie promise; cross my heart and hope to die."

Daisy smiled. "I hear Momma crying sometimes when I'm in my room and I know she's crying about me and that's how I know. I think I'm gonna go anyway. The cancer's really big and I'm really small."

"Do you wanna go?"

Daisy shook her head intently, her eyes filling with tears. "I don't wanna leave Momma," she whispered, sniffling.

He gently brushed back her hair. "You won't," he said but Daisy still looked unconvinced. "You know why I think that," he leaned in closer. "Cause I think you're a fighter Daisy and I think you're gonna kick cancer in the butt."

"You think that?" Daisy asked, her head to the side.

Ezra smiled and winked again. "I know it."

"You sure?" Daisy asked again for good measure and Ezra nodded. "But if I do go to heaven, can you please look after Momma? I don't know how she's gonna do it and I seen you before, she's got a picture of you in her bedside table and in the thingy that holds all her money. She looks at it sometimes. She'd let you look after her. Can you please look after her cause I don't think she'd look after herself very much?" Daisy said and Ezra wasn't quite sure what there was to say. Ezra wasn't sure how a three year old could act that way but he remembers that it's Aria's daughter, _no wait, their daughter,_ and maybe that makes all the difference.

He finally held out his pinkie after a couple of moment's silence. "I pinkie promise," he whispered, whilst wondering how one little girl has made him make two promises in the space of ten minutes when he's been avoiding them for the past four years.

 **here i am. once again - late as ever, but at least I'm not a year late like all my other fanfics lmao I'm so lousy.**

 **please review xo**


	8. Chapter 8

**okay so im a week late with uploading but hi again, i hope you like this but its a bit of a filler tho**

"Hi," Ezra said leaning against the door. "You wanna talk about it?" He asked softly.

Aria let out a sob. "What kind of mother am I if my baby thinks she's gonna die?" She whispered and let out another sob.

Ezra placed his hands on either sides of her arms, crouching down so he could look into her eyes. "Aria, listen to me, you are amazing. You are so amazing, Jesus Christ, don't ever think you're not, alright?"

She choked. "She thinks she's gonna go, I'm a dreadful mother Ezra."

"Aria, look at me," Ezra slid his hands up to cup her face and waited for her to look into his eyes. "I spent fifteen minutes in there and my heart is already breaking in half I can't imagine what you must be feeling. If I were you I honestly would've just exploded with sobs right in there, I'd be dying. Aria you are anything but a shitty Mom alright? You are fucking amazing and I know I couldn't do half the shit you have done."

Aria sniffed. "Are you sure I'm not a bad mother?"

Ezra nodded. "I am hundred percent sure," Ezra's thumbs swept away the tears running down her face making's Aria's cheeks redden. "I may not be sure on a lot of things but if there is one thing I am a hundred percent sure about, it is this." Ezra leaned up slightly so he could kiss her forehead. He pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back and Aria wrapped her arms around his waist; both breathing the other in.

"I'm so scared," Aria cried into his chest. "She's my lifeline, I need her so much."

Ezra rubbed her back, trying to console her. "She's gonna be fine, Aria. Maybe not now and maybe not in a couple of weeks but she will be in the long run alright? She's gonna beat this."

"How do you know that?"

"Cause if I learned anything in there it's that she's exactly like you and you're a fighter." He stroked her hair. "That's how I know."

Aria hugged him tighter. "You don't know it for sure," she whispered.

"Yeah but I can feel it," Ezra whispered back and kissed her head.

…

"What are you doing?" Emily asked. "Why are you both drinking?"

Hanna shrugged. "He was so I decided to as well, you know, I feel for him."

"What happened?" She asked Ezra.

"My child thinks she is going to die," Ezra explained. "And surprise surprise I feel super shitty for once,"

"I didn't know you could feel that emotion," Emily said.

"Trust me Em neither did I," Ezra grinned. "I need to feel super good," he said looking at his phone.

"Don't do it," Caleb said, doing the dishes. "Don't do the girl at the bar, don't do it bro!"

"But she's so fit!" Ezra whined. "Nah, man, I don't think, yeah fuck it." He pressed the number and held it up, hoping for her to answer.

"Not too busy for me now, huh?" The vicious voice asked.

"Something came up, fucking massive but I'm better now," he said.

"Well that's good. What's your hotel? I can be there in a half hour,"

"That'd be perfect." Ezra grinned. "It's the one on Main Street, I'm not sure what it's called. Room 26."

She laughed. "I know where it is, I'll see you there."

"Definitely,"

Caleb shook his head. "Aria's not gonna be happy,"

"She is because she's not gonna know,"

"If you don't want her to know that means you think something is gonna happen with Aria so why do you want to do the fuck up of the year," Emily said.

"Oh Emily, it has been the year of fuck ups," Ezra said breathing out. "I just fuck, I don't, I have had this amazing fucking life for the past four years and I, I've got a sick kid now and I can't deal just sex is the way I deal, what is this fucking emotional trauma I just need a fucking blowjob okay!" Ezra shouted, pacing and then looked at the door, opened it and walked out slamming it behind him.

"Idiot," Hanna said.

Caleb looked over at her. "You're going out tonight, put down the bottle."

Hanna grinned and took one last swig before putting it in the fridge.

…

Ezra swung open the door to Emma who was holding a bottle of gin in one hand and tonic in the other. "Emma, right?" Ezra asked with a cheeky grin.

Emma laughed. "Ezra, right?"

"Spot on Emma." He moved away from the door to let her in and shut it behind her. By the time Ezra had turned around, Emma was taking her shirt off to reveal her purple push up bra and toned stomach. Ezra swallowed slightly, remembering that purple was his favourite colour and it was his favourite colour only because it _looked so damned good on Aria._ Aria. Ezra shoved her out of his mind viciously and quickly.

Emma smiled. "So how do you want to do this Ezra?"

Ezra smiled back at her. "How do you normally do a hook up call?"

"Exactly like this." She grinned. Ezra's smile grew slightly as he moved his hand to the hem of his shirt and threw it off. "Game on."

…

Emma sat up in the bed, leaning against the headrest. Ezra's eyes flicked up from where the duvet finished and settled on her face after a moment of appreciation. "Aria must be a hell of a woman." Emma stated with a small smile on her face.

Ezra paled visibly as his body nearly froze from shock. "What?" He uttered, nearly incoherently. He didn't move his eyes off of Emma's.

"You said her name as soon as you came," she smirked at Ezra's sudden tenseness. "I don't mind." Emma laughed with joy. "Is she the reason you rudely hung up on me the other day?"

Ezra offered her a smile. "I'm sorry about that; you didn't catch me at the best of times."

"I gathered." Emma smiled. "Were you with her when I called?"

Ezra heaved a sigh as Emma mentioned the word 'her'. He moved himself up into a sitting position by the force of his elbows and looked down at his hands as his legs crossed. "We were in the middle of a fight."

Emma's grin slowly dissolved. "I'm not a middle woman am I? I've been cheated on before and I'm not going to be the one who is cheated with."

Ezra shook his head slowly. "We've been over, nah, not over, she fucking skipped town on me five years ago without a fucking word, no mention to the person she was planning to spend her life with and I bump into her as she's running out of the bar _we_ met in." He let out a miserable laugh and ran his hands through his hair. "And for these past five years I have been trying to convince myself that I am happy going from woman to woman when I know that what I've always wanted is to build a life with her."

"And now you don't know what to do because the love of your life isn't there for the life you've planned," Emma whispered. "I know what you're feeling, Ezra."

"You do?" Ezra asked with another heavy sigh. "Because I always feel alone with this."

"The love of my life died a year and a half ago," Emma confessed to him. "We'd just got engaged the week before; he'd left to pick up the Chinese takeaway and he never came back. I haven't eaten Chinese since and I've been avoiding every man who bears any resemblance to him because I have no clue how to function when I am without him, and I do not want to build a life with anyone but him. He was blonde; half Irish." Emma placed a hand on Ezra's shoulder. "You have to go after her before it's too late, Ezra. From me, please."

Ezra rubbed his face. "I don't know if I can."

Emma's hand moved from his shoulder to cup his cheek and her finger moved gently to rub his stubble a few times. "Is she in love with another man?"

"No,"

Emma's eyebrow rose. "Then what is stopping you?"

Ezra swallowed. "She skipped town because she was pregnant. Now I have a daughter with leukaemia." He coughed slightly, trying to alleviate the hardness wedged in his throat. Emma's breath hitched in her throat.

"Do you want a gin and tonic?" She asked, quietness to her voice.

 **i like emma i don't know why, i've barely written about her but i like her. sorry i didn't upload in the past week i've been on a school trip to Lourdes with no laptop!**

 **anywho i hope you liked the chapter and please review! see you next week xoxalone 8**


	9. Chapter 9

The sun started to shine into Ezra's hotel room, alerting both him and Emma that it was becoming the early morning. Emma let out a shaky, drunk sigh as she noticed it too. "We've been awake a couple hours now," she murmured.

Ezra looked at the sun rising out of the window. "Yeah," he murmured back in a rather depressed tone. "I'm not usually a depressed drunk," he confessed to her with a small frown on his face.

Emma let out a quiet laugh. "Neither was I. I am now,"

"What was his name?" Ezra asked. "I feel like all we've been talking about is Aria this night,"

Emma smiled at a memory. "Emmet," she smiled. "I met him when I was 17 on a school trip and I think, he didn't realized he loved me until the blowout party when he dragged me outside of the party in tears." Emma laughed. "Let's not," she suddenly decided. "I didn't get a life with Emmet but you can still get one with Aria," she whispered.

"I'm scared," Ezra sniffed, "what if she doesn't want me?"

Emma smirked. "Who wouldn't want you?"

"You seem to forget," he stumbled over his words as the alcohol swirled in his stomach. Ezra could usually handle his drink and his emotions but then he remembered he'd never been able to do that since Aria. It was a few beers or a couple vodka tonics or maybe a cocktail if he was feeling fancy and then he stopped, letting a lazy drunk haze take over him. But he never allowed it to go further than a drunken haze. Not since the _wretched night_ that had happened not long after Aria had left him. If Ezra's totally honest, he blames it on Hanna – but then again, who was she to know what would happen once Ezra drank too much, and who was anyone to know that in a matter of a few days Ezra had suddenly become a lightweight. He only blames Hanna because it's an easy way out of an explanation that he doesn't really want to face – now, and in the future.

Ezra is snapped out of his thoughts by the bed shifting and Emma standing up. He let his eyes roam her body, ignored the disgust burning in his gut for looking at another woman when his _sick daughter_ was in the _opposite_ building with the love of his life looking after her – all _alone_. He slammed the thoughts down with his cement block, crushing them completely and allowed himself to (try) enjoy Emma's body.

"Maybe you'd hear me if my mouth was on one of my tits," Emma said with a snap to her voice but he knew she was teasing. ( _Wasn't she?)_

"Hmm," Ezra replied, moving his eyes easily upwards to settle on her brown eyes. Brown eyes immediately correlated with Aria and Aria was immediately correlated to the cement block that shut off his emotions. "What were you saying?" He asked with a gravelly voice which he blamed on the alcohol but knew was from something else.

"I called a cab to take me back to my place. I'm not getting the train looking like a mess," Emma said with a rough voice that matched his but for entirely different reasons. "And I think when I leave you should take a walk,"

…

"It's been good knowing you Ezra," Emma said with a small drunken slur as she lowered herself gently into the cab.

"You too," he replied, squinting against the sun's brightness.

"Go get her," Emma said. "Cause if you don't then," she paused for a moment, trying to think of something to say, "you've fucked up and you'll probably have a bad conscience for the rest of your life if you abandon them."

"Way to make me feel better," Ezra said with a small yet heavily miserable smirk. Emma gave him an intimate smile before she let the cab driver know that she was ready to go; she gave him a wave as it drove off. Ezra sighed. A walk, Emma had said in the hotel room, Ezra heaved a sigh and started walking for a reason that was heavily unknown to him. He let his footsteps carry him wherever but his breath stopped from the instant he found himself looking at a hospital. Coincidentally the same one in which his daughter and Aria – Aria, _fucking hell, Aria_ \- were leaving.

…

Aria heaved a heavy breath as she struggled with numerous amount of bags and tried to keep a weirdly – but to her extreme relief – bubbly and hyper Daisy. "Baby you're gonna get tired if you keep walking in circles!" Aria said, hopefully in what sounded as a motherly tone that implied Daisy getting in trouble but Daisy didn't hear any threat to the voice that was underlying with happiness she hadn't felt in months. For Aria, all she ever wanted was her baby girl to be in a good mood – and Daisy was – and so Aria's heart was big at the moment.

"I'm going to see Rachel!" Daisy said loudly with a small hop. "Rachel!" She exclaimed just as loudly, repeating it over and over again. Aria couldn't help but grin.

…

Ezra's heart leapt into his throat as he saw Aria and Daisy walking away from the hospital and in the other direction away from him. He felt as though they were walking away from him. He knew it was stupid but couldn't help feel that way. Ezra watched them walk away and not a moment later, he had decided to walk the same route. Not to follow, exactly, _well,_ he thought to himself, _why would I not be following Aria?_ Even he could admit that when it came to Aria, he turned into a begging lost puppy. Ezra heaved another sigh, probably the tenth of the day, as he knew he shouldn't follow her but in his sleep deprived and intoxicated state; he wasn't sure what else he would probably do.

…

"How is she?" Rachel asked with a comforting smile as Daisy ran in to join a few other children she was friends with at Rachel's.

"Weirdly good today." Aria said with a smile. "I don't know what that means for now but I know I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts,"

"You can keep her if you want." Rachel offered and saw Aria's mouth open and then close, "but you look awfully tired, more tired than normal."

Aria's smile tugged at the corners, pulling it into a slight frown. _I wonder why that is,_ she thought in her head, sarcasm heavily included with the phrase. "Does that make me a bad mom?"

Rachel shook her head, her smile turning sympathetic. "It doesn't. You'd become a bad mom if you didn't look after yourself. Get some sleep, Aria,"

Aria nodded, the small smile returning to her face. "I'll try." She swallowed. "I think Ella will pick her up today, she's been yelling at me for the past couple weeks to lie in my bed like I did when I was a teen,"

"I can't imagine you were one to lie in bed," Rachel joked and Aria laughed. "Perhaps more like my brother." Aria amended, a teasing lilt to her voice.

Rachel grinned. "I'll look after her, go home."

…

Aria had just settled rather nicely into her old pyjama set, which consisted of booty shorts and Ezra's old Hollis shirt when a knock sounded on her door. She groaned inwardly. "I don't want to do this right now," she muttered grumpily as she stalked lazily over to the door. She opened it gently and stopped short when she saw a stumbling an exhausted Ezra Fitz leaning on her doorway.

A smirk came on his face as his eyes raked her body. "I knew you'd taken it. I gave up on finding it when I left Rosewood." He said lazily, slurring on a few words and cringing on the name of the town. Aria had just recovered the drop her jaw had made to look at Ezra. He pointed haphazardly to the shorts. "They're new though."

Aria coughed and looked down at her socked feet. "Yeah," she murmured gently as she looked back up, smelling the alcohol on him. "Why are you here exactly Ezra?"

Ezra hadn't got an answer to that question either.

 **im a week later uploading, sorry everyone! i'll have the next one up on time i promise!**

 **as i was writing i was realising that some of the chapters are quite Ezra based - why do i feel the need to go in that direction i do not know - but i promise the next one will be mostly from Aria, so do you guys like the ones that are Ezra based? Like, how do you like the chapters written, does that make sense? Anyways, next chapter will be Aria based away so!**

 **anywho, please, please review and i hope you liked it!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Shoutout to the reviewer who pointed this out to me, you're the ultimate. Hope you enjoy this.**

"Why are you here exactly Ezra?" Aria asked, her voice small. Her eyes didn't move from his face as she searched for an answer. She watched him stand there and noticed the deep lines in his face that weren't there the other day but also the undeniable sadness that was etched onto his face from years of denied loneliness. Aria wanted to move closer to him but knew that wasn't the way to go. "Do you want to come in and sit for a while?" She whispered, unable to move her eyes from his.

Ezra nodded as he breathed out. "Yeah," he muttered, moving into the apartment as Aria moved aside to let him in. She shut the door and turned around to face him and Aria couldn't say to herself that she didn't feel awkward. Not awkward because she was around Ezra – it was almost quite the opposite. Awkward because she couldn't believe Ezra was seeing her in a dingy, shitty apartment in an awful part of town. She watched him collapse on the couch that groaned under his weight and observed that he didn't seem to take any notice to the creaking.

She coughed slightly, wondering if her voice was going to be there or not when she spoke. "Would you like something to drink?" Aria got another whiff of the strong alcohol that had now covered him in its smell. "Water? Coffee?"

"I don't mind," Ezra said softly, not bothering to turn around and look at her because he was more interested in his own hands. "Whatever you're having." He stated simply and Aria nodded to herself. She grabbed two glasses and filled them with tap water before walking over to where he sat. Aria handed Ezra his glass as she sat down on the opposite end of the couch, despite him being plunked in the middle. Her brain suddenly went into alert mode as she remembered she hadn't shaved her legs and that they were on very, very full display in front of a man who had already seen her in bad states. Aria shifted so her legs were underneath her and a pillow covered whatever was left on show. She cursed herself for caring about prickly legs when she had a daughter in the hospital.

"Thanks," Ezra said, offering Aria a smile. Aria returned it, her heart swelling to double its size. "I'm sorry for showing up like this."

Aria shrugged. "Don't be, I'm not used to company so it's nice," she admitted as a half-truth. She was absolutely exhausted and was hoping for a very long nap before having to return to the hospital tonight but then again, if Ezra was sitting by her side on her sofa it wasn't the end of the world.

"You look tired." Ezra noted, not taking his eyes off her and Aria squirmed under the intense gaze that she hadn't been scrutinized under for quite a while. "So do you," she said.

He nodded, "yeah," he breathed, sipping his water but then he shook his head and put it down on the floor. "I don't have a very good excuse compared to yours though."

Aria shrugged, feeling the guilt unraveling inside her. "No," she said, "you have your own reasons, you just found out you have a baby girl and that she's sick, so, still a very good reason. I've been tired since she was diagnosed." Aria stopped herself from giving out more; she knew she should, she knew she would eventually but right now, in a crappy apartment with a hazy atmosphere, she didn't feel as though it was the right time.

"When was she diagnosed?" Ezra asked. Aria didn't even give him any time to finish before she answered with "six months ago." Aria remembered that day very well and it was a day that she relived nearly every time she looked at Daisy and a day that she wished she could forget. "I would relive every single day of hell that A put me through just so I didn't have to relive that one,"

Ezra moved closer to her, sensing the tears that were coming to her eyes and put a hand on her shoulder. "I wish I never left," Aria admitted, her eyes shut so she didn't have to look at him. "I wish I never left you and the girls. I've missed you all so much it's been killing me," a few tears slipped from her eyes and Ezra's hand moved from her shoulder to her face so he could gently wipe them from her cheeks. Aria opened her eyes to look at him. "It's been absolute hell, college was awful and then Daisy got diagnosed and ever since then I've only wanted you. I could shove you in the back of my head during college and tell myself it was best you didn't know, best that I didn't ruin your life but ever since that day all that's been on my mind has been you. And it's so selfish, it's so selfish it sickens me." She finished her words with a sob that racked her whole body making Ezra drag her towards him. He shifted in his seat so he was directly opposite her; his eyes not moving from hers.

"Is that why you left me, us?" He whispered, knowing that if he spoke any louder, Aria wouldn't be the only one on the couch bursting into sobs. "You didn't want to ruin my life?"

Aria looked at him with a miserable expression on her face and she knew that whatever she had blurted out her mouth the other day hadn't pushed him away. Not one inch. "How would it have looked, Ezra?" She sniffed, hiccupping all the way through it. "You are the most intelligent, kindest man I have ever met, what would it have done to your reputation if people knew? Forget about mine but I couldn't let you suffer more than you'd already had for me,"

Ezra didn't know what to say and Aria could see that. "I am so sorry Ezra, for everything I've said and done." Aria whispered to him and Ezra cupped her face, stroking her cheek and he felt warmth inside him when Aria burrowed herself deeper into his hand. He let out a small, quiet laugh. "Shall we just get some sleep?"

Aria smiled gently in response as she nodded.

…

Aria woke up for a brief moment three hours later. She looked at the arms surrounding her in a way that wasn't when they had got themselves into the bed. She smiled which soon turned into a grin but it wasn't long before Aria fell into one of the most peaceful sleeps she'd had since she left Rosewood.

…

Aria woke up at six in the evening to an empty bed and cold sheets. Aria looked at the pillow, which looked just as fluffed as the night before. She swallowed, thinking to herself. Aria quickly got up to see if he'd be in the kitchen or sitting on the shoddy sofa but she knew it wouldn't be true. She cursed herself for being so optimistic when she saw the empty apartment but was suddenly overcome with a bout of sadness.

He's a boy, she told herself in sadness as she sat on the floor as sobs overtook her, he's just a fucking boy. But as she said those words in her head again - the words that had carried her through college missing him, the words that had made her delete his number from his phone, the words she told herself every time she wanted to find him and tell him about Daisy – she knew they're weren't true. Maybe Aria had always known they weren't true, but in this moment, collapsed on the cold and hard wooded floor, she could no longer kid herself that Ezra wasn't just a stupid boy.

He was a man – and a man who'd she'd been desperately in love with since the age of sixteen.

 **Thanks for reading guys, sorry about the reupload lol**

 **See you next time**

 **xo**


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